Mercator Fellowship Program

The Mercator Fellowship Program of the Stiftung Mercator GmbH is aimed at outstanding individuals from academia and practice who wish to implement an independent research or practical project with an exploratory and innovative approach. Eligible for funding are private individuals of all nationalities and disciplines with relevant experience and qualifications in the proposed subject area. Bachelor’s and Master’s students cannot be funded; the fellowship is neither a doctoral nor a habilitation or final degree scholarship. The program supports projects in the fields of research & innovation as well as science and awards grants without fixed deadlines – applications are accepted continuously, with a minimum lead time of four to six months before the start recommended.

The application process is designed as a two-stage procedure: first, a project outline is submitted including information about the applicants, project title, project description, reference to funding criteria, and budget. Upon positive preliminary review, a full application follows, which additionally includes a signed application form, detailed project and financial plans, timelines and milestone schedules, as well as information on evaluation, sustainability, and societal impact. Decisions are made internally by the management and the advisory committee. Evaluation criteria include, besides professional qualification and degree of innovation, above all the relevance of the project to the foundation’s objectives. Through this structure, the program enables efficient support of innovative approaches that contribute to the advancement of the Stiftung Mercator’s key areas of action.